Microsoft Launches DIY Survey Suite

Microsoft has launched Pulse for Market Research, part of its Bing Pulse audience engagement division and billed as 'a [free] self-service solution for surveys, live content rating, and moderated response groups of any size'.

The software giant says its new offering can be used for instant sentiment tracking, ad and video tests and audience studies. Moderated groups can be set up 'within minutes' with feedback comparable across sessions or downloadable for further analysis.

Participants can respond from any 'phone, tablet or PC, and features include 'Pulsing' (stimulus response) and 'Polling' (survey) functions which allow researchers to gain feedback at any point before, during and after an event, video or other content. Users can also live stream videos or events, get API access to raw survey data in real time, upload stimulus or break out into chat rooms.

Chief Insights Officer Mark Penn, who is leaving in September to found his own investment company, oversaw the product's development and says: 'We have put a powerful new tool in the hands of market researchers that offers unlimited quantitative feedback for ad tests, product tests, audience response, and much more, without any capital investment'.

Josh Gottheimer, General Manager of the company's Strategy and Insights Group, comments: 'Demand for mobile surveys is increasing and smartphones and tablets are the new preferred medium through which insights are collected. Pulse for Market Research is at the vanguard of that trend and offers a best in class and mobile market research platform for any researcher, marketer, and business manager out there'.

Microsoft has made a number of recent acquisitions in the analytics and mobile intelligence space, including Datazen Software in April, predictive analytics firm Revolution Analytics in January, and text analytics company Equivio just a few days earlier.

Web site: http://pulse.bing.com/pulse-for-research .


Microsoft has also announced the acquisition of field service management solutions provider FieldOne Systems and will integrate its technology into the Dynamics CRM product.